What is Backbone's idiomatic way to create/save valid models?

backbone-question.coffee

Backbone = require 'backbone'

Backbone.sync = ->
    console.log 'Sync called.'

Book = Backbone.Model.extend
    validate: ->
        console.log 'Validate called.'
        return "error"

Library = Backbone.Collection.extend
    model: Book

lib = new Library
lib.create
    title: 'A Book'
# Skips validate

(new Book { title: 'Another book.'}).save()
# Skips validate

book = new Book
book.save
    title: 'A third book.'
# Runs validate, does not sync

Was surprised that save() without attrs bypasses validate. Is the recommended approach not setting with the constructor, but instead setting with set/save? Is there any way to enforce validation on Collection's create method?